Sukkot, Shemini Atzeret & Simchat Torah
Each year we enter the physical space of the Sukkah with joy and excitement for the holiday.
On This Page:
Service Times | Sukkot Events | Food Delivery | About Shemini Atzeret | About Simchat Torah
Service Times
Erev Sukkot, Wednesday, October 16
6:15pm Erev Sukkot Service
6:10pm Candle Lighting
Sukkot Day 1, Thursday, October 17
9:30am Sukkot Service
10:00am Youth Services
7:15pm Ma’ariv
7:07pm Candle Lighting
Sukkot Day 2, Friday, October 18
9:30am Sukkot Service
6:15pm Ma’ariv
6:07pm Candle Lighting
Hoshana Rabah, Wednesday, October 23
8:00am Service
Erev Shemini Atzeret, Wednesday, October 23
6:15pm Erev Shemini Atzeret Service
6:00pm Candle Lighting
Shemini Atzeret, Thursday, October 24
9:30am Shemini Atzeret Service (includes Yizkor)
6:58pm Candle Lighting
7:15pm Erev Simchat Torah Service and Hakafot
Simchat Torah, Friday, October 25
9:30am Simchat Torah Service and Hakafot
6:15pm Ma’ariv
5:58pm Candle Lighting
All services in the sanctuary will be available via livestream at olamtikvah.org/livestream
Sukkot Food Delivery
Sunflower Sukkot Delivery
Order deadline: Sunday, October 13 at 12:00pm
Pickup: Tuesday, October 15 from 12:00-5:00pm
Get delicious desserts and round treats for Sukkot from Sunflower Bakery! Check out their special holiday menu here. Sukkot menu ordering will open on October 7th.
- Go to www.sunflowerbakery.org/shop/
- Orders need to be placed directly with Sunflower Bakery via their website before noon on Sunday, October 13. Pickup at OT on Tuesday, October 15.
- At checkout, under Pickup or Delivery, choose Special Pickup Locations and select 10/15 Congregation Olam Tikvah in the dropdown menu.
- If you have any trouble with the order, please email info@sunflowerbakery.org
Your order will be available for pickup in the Olam Tikvah office on Tuesday, October 15 between 12:00m-5:00pm!
Moti's High Holiday (Sukkot) Delivery
Order deadline: Sunday, October 13 at 6:00pm
Delivery: Monday, October 14 at 4:00pm
Get everything you need for your Sukkot meals delivered to OT! Moti's offers FREE delivery. Orders must be placed by Sunday, October 13 at 6:00pm. Orders will be delivered to Olam Tikvah on Monday, October 14 at 4:00pm. To order, follow the instructions below:
- Order online at motismarket.com. Before placing your order, please ensure that you or a friend will be available to meet the truck for pickup on Monday, October 14 at 4:00pm.
- Register as a new customer or log in as a returning customer.
- Start shopping!
- When prompted, select “pick up” at Olam Tikvah on Monday, October 14.
- If you need help placing your order, please call Moti's at 301-468-0400
Sukkot, Shemini Atzeret & Simchat Torah Events
JFGH Sukkah Raising, Sunday, October 13, 9:30am. Help Abba raise the sukkah for the Brown Berish Jewish Family Group Home in Annandale. Please volunteer to help for this mitzvah. RSVP to Eddie Silverman.
Men’s Club Snacks, Beer and Trivia in the Sukkah, Saturday, October 19, 7:30pm. Join Men's Club for a fun night of snacks, craft beer, and trivia in the OT sukkah! Click here to register.
Men's Club Annual Candidates' Election Brunch Sunday, October 20, 9:45 am. Join Men's Club for their annual Candidates Election Brunch. Invited candidates include for US Senate, Tim Kaine (D incumbent) and Hung Cao (R). For the US House of Representatives, Gerry Connolly (D incumbent) and Michael van Meter (R). Our moderator will again be our very own Josh Kraushaar, Editor in Chief, The Jewish Insider. Click here to register.
OT Sukkah Hop, Sunday, October 20, 4:00-6:00pm. We’re hopping around town at sukkot across the community, with everyone wrapping their afternoon back at the OT sukkah for an ice cream dessert! Click here to register. Please register by October 14.
Kadima Limo Sukkah Hop, Sunday, October 20, 4:00-6:00pm. Ride in style with Kadima (5th-7th grades) as we put our own twist on the Olam Tikvah sukkah hop! Click here to register.
USY Limo Sukkah Hop, Sunday, October 20, 6:00-8:00pm. Our USYers (8th-12th graders) are jumping into the limo to visit sukkot around town in style! Click here to register.
Hazak Lunch in the OT Sukkah, October 22, 12:00pm. Celebrate Sukkot with Hazak in the OT sukkah. Click here to register.
First Mishnah Study of 5785 with Rabbi Kalender, Wednesday, October 23, 9:15am in the OT Sukkah.
Dance with Torah! Celebrate Simchat Torah with dancing, singing, and aliyot for all on the evening of Thursday, October 24 and the morning of Friday, October 24.
Shemini Atzeret
Celebrate Shemini Atzeret on Thursday, October 24.
Shemini Atzeret is both a holiday unto itself and the eighth day of Sukkot. As a nod to both aspects, it is customary to eat meals in the sukkah on Shemini Atzeret (Friday night and Saturday), but not to recite the blessing for dwelling in the sukkah.
The Shemini Atzeret service will include Hallel, Yizkor and Geshem.
Hallel is a collection of Psalms recited on holidays and on Rosh Chodesh before the Torah service. It expresses our gratitude and joy for divine providence. The melody is truly joyful and we look forward to singing it as we end the fall holiday season.
We have the opportunity once more to recite Yizkor in remembrance of those who are no longer with us. Remember to light a yahrtzeit candle before the holiday begins on Friday evening. Yizkor is on Saturday morning following the Torah service.
Shemini Atzeret marks the beginning of the rainy season, which we note by adding mashiv ha-ruach u'morid ha-gashem (You cause the wind to blow and the rain to fall) to Musaf. On this day, we also sing Geshem, the prayer for rain, following the Yizkor service. This moving and beautiful prayer recalls the many ways that water is central to our lives and to our history.
Simchat Torah
Celebrate Simchat Torah on Thursday night and Friday morning, October 24-25.
On Simchat Torah ("Rejoicing with the Torah"), we celebrate reaching the end of the Torah and starting anew right away. Simchat Torah marks the end of our annual reading of the Torah with the final parasha of Devarim, and then we begin again immediately with Bereishit. It is a joyous holiday that celebrates our love of Torah.
The Simchat Torah evening service on Saturday, October 7, brings us together in hakafot (dancing with the Torah). Weather permitting, we hold this service outside in the courtyard. Traditionally, children join the hakafot waving homemade flags to help create a parade-like atmosphere. You can make your own at home (see instructions here), or print this downloadable version. Make our hakafot festive and fun with your own flag to wave!
The Simchat Torah morning service includes more hakafot and flags, and a recitation of Hallel, expressing our gratitude and joy for divine providence, as well as special honors for members of our community who represent our past and our future. Simchat Torah is the only time of year that everyone, even those who are not yet Bar or Bat Mitzvah, is eligible for an aliyah. At Olam Tikvah, we celebrate with Aliyot for All.
